Walker, Valente, Langley named Football Players of the Week
Burlington, Ont. – Dominic Walker, Daniel Valente Jr., and Nathan Langley have been named Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Football Players of the Week for the period ending September 9, 2018.
Offence: Dominic Walker, Carleton Ravens
It may be his first season with Carleton Ravens, but rookie receiver Dominic Walker made his presence felt in a big way in the team’s Week 3 win over Waterloo.
Walker got on the board early after hauling in the short pass from QB Michael Arruda to extend the Ravens’ first quarter lead to 8-0. From there, Walker showcased his big play ability and reeled in the longest play of his early career. Walker took the deep toss from Arruda and did the rest of the damage with his legs, with the pass and run going for 95 yards to the house.
Both touchdowns proved critical in the team’s eventual three-point win over the high-octane Warriors, and Walker’s overall line of five catches for 130 yards has helped the first-year Communication Studies major to earn offensive honours for Week 3.
Defence: Daniel Valente Jr., Western Mustangs
The Western Mustangs defence stood tall in their marquee matchup win over the McMaster Marauders last weekend, and a big factor in the stand was defensive back Daniel Valente Jr.
The second-year player was instrumental for the purple ponies, putting his finger prints all over the game. Beyond making five solo tackles on the day, Valente also wreaked havoc in the secondary with a pair of interceptions for the defending Vanier Cup champions, including one that helped to set up Cedric Joseph’s second rushing TD of the game.
Special Teams: Nathan Langley, Queen’s Gaels
It’s hard to start a football game any better than the Queen’s Gaels did on Saturday against the Toronto Varsity Blues, and they have Nathan Langley to thank.
Langley got the game started with a bang as he returned the opening kickoff 110 yards for the touchdown. It was the Gaels first special teams touchdown of the season and the first career touchdown for the rookie.
All in all, Langley returned three kicks for 166 yards on the afternoon, helping his team earn the 43-7 victory for their second win of the season.